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PubMed1975

Galactose and glucose metabolism in galactokinase deficient, galactose-1-P-uridyl transferase deficient and normal human fibroblasts.

Despite the genetic interruption of the Leloir pathway both galactosemic patients and galactosemic fibroblasts can convert galactose to CO2 and TCA precipitable products, although at less than the normal rate. These observations stimulated investigations into the identity of the alternative metabolic routes which allows for galactose metabolism in the absence of in vitro galactose-1-P-uridyl transferase. Four lines of galactosemic cells, each without detectable gal-transferase, produced 14CO2 from [1-14C]-galactose (0.094 mumoles in 20 cc of medium) at approximately 39% +/- 16% the rate of transferase positive cells over a 48-hour period. However, galactokinase deficient fibroblasts produced 14CO2 and TCA precipitable products from [1-14C]-galactose or [U-14C]-galactose at only 3% to 9% the rate of normal fibroblasts. Therefore it seems likely that gal-transferase deficient fibroblasts must first synthesize galactose-1-P for further metabolism of galactose.

Adult↗
PubMed1976

The effect of pH on incorporation of galactose by a normal human cell line and cell lines from patients with defective galactose metabolism.

Incorporation of radioactive galactose into TCA-insoluble material of galactosemic fibroblasts is more sensitive to low pH than is the incorporation by normal human fibroblasts. This study was undertaken to determine (1) whether there was any pH which could correct or counteract the galactosemic defect relative to galactose incorporation, and (2) whether the low pH effect was specific for galactose metabolism or whether general cellular metabolism in galactosemic cells was more sensitive to low pH than that in normal cells. The pH dependencies of incorporation of radioactive galactose and glucose into cellular macromolecules were investigated in galactosemic and normal cells. Normal cells have a biphasic curve with respect to galactose incorporation with peaks at pH 7.0 and 8.5. Galactosemic cells have only the high pH peak. The maximum incorporation by galactosemic cells was never more than about 30% that seen by normal cells under the conditions of these experiments. Thus manipulation of the pH alone cannot correct the galactosemic defect. The rate of incorporation of radioactive galactose was studied in normal, galactosemic and galactokinase deficient cells, at pH 7.2 and at pH 6.3. At pH 7.2, galactosemic cells incorporate galactose at a linear rate which is 30 to 40% that of normal cells while incorporation by kinase-deficient cells is between 5 and 10% of normal. At pH 6.3, the incorporation is also linear. However, galactosemic cells now exhibit the same rate as kinase-deficient cells in which the low level of incorporation is unaffected by pH. These results suggest that incorporation of galactose by galactosemic cells at low pH is not due to metabolic death of the cells, but may be due to the inhibition of some specific step or steps along a metabolic route of galactose metabolism other than the Leloir pathway.

Cell Line↗
PubMed1978

Use of guinea pigs as model to study galactose-induced cataract formation.

Because the dietary requirement for ascorbic acid is similar in humans and guinea pigs, galactose-induced cataract research with the guinea pig as an experimental model instead of the rat might be appropriate and may represent a closer analogy to galactosemic cataract formation in humans. In this study, dietary ascorbic acid was found in all guinea pigs to have a retarding or delaying effect on the development of galactose-induced cataracts.

Animals↗
PubMed1986

Endoneurial sodium accumulation in galactosemic rat nerves.

Microdrop samples of endoneurial fluid and serum from galactosemic rats were analyzed with energy dispersive spectrometry (EDS). The sodium concentration of endoneurial fluid from galactose-fed rats (295 meq/liter) was nearly twice that of age-matched controls (152 meq/liter) and indicates that sodium is present in an osmotically significant concentration that is capable of causing the edema and increased endoneurial fluid pressure (EFP) associated with galactose neuropathy. It is suggested that accumulation of endoneurial sodium is linked to the movement of sugar into the endoneurium.

Animals↗
PubMed2003

Stable-isotope dilution analysis of galactose metabolites in human erythrocytes.

An established gas chromatography/mass spectrometry (GC/MS) method, devised for stable-isotope dilution analysis of plasma galactose, was developed to allow determination of erythrocyte (red blood cell, RBC) concentrations of galactose-1-phosphate and other primary metabolites relevant in galactosaemia. Galactose-1-phosphate was enzymatically converted to galactose, and the aldononitrile pentaacetate derivative was separated by gas chromatography and determined by mass spectrometry using chemical ionisation and selected ion monitoring of the [MH-60](+) ion. U-(13)C-Labelled standard was used for quantification. Comparative measurements were conducted using established fluorimetric and radiometric enzymatic methods. The GC/MS analysis for galactose-1-phosphate was linear (range examined 0-600 micromol/L(RBC), packed cells), of acceptable repeatability at low and high concentrations (within and between run CVs <15%), with a limit of quantification of 0.01 micromol/L(RBC). With samples from patients with classical galactosaemia there was a linear correlation with conventional enzymatic assays (r(2) > 0.927). In erythrocytes from post-absorptive patients under treatment, Q188R-heterozygous parents, and healthy subjects, galactose-1-phosphate concentrations (mean +/- SD) were found to be 142 +/- 38 (n = 41), 1.4 +/- 0.2 (n = 8), and 1.9 +/- 0.5 (n = 33) micromol/L(RBC), respectively. In comparison, free galactose concentrations were 3.8 +/- 1.7, 0.49 +/- 0.19, and 0.43 +/- 0.20 mol/L(RBC), respectively. The procedure allowed simultaneous galactitol analysis and proved to be useful to trace incorporation of (13)C-label into erythrocyte galactose metabolites in a D-[1-(13)C]galactose in vivo turnover study.

Blood Chemical Analysis↗
PubMed2000

Functional and structural studies of alpha-crystallin from galactosemic rat lenses.

Chaperone-like activity and structural changes of lens alpha-crystallin from rats fed with galactose at various time intervals have been studied using high-performance liquid chromatograph (HPLC), circular dichroism (CD), and 1-anilinonaphthalene-8-sulfonic acid (ANS) fluorescence emission. It was found that chaperone-like activity of alpha-crystallin from galactose-fed rats toward dithiothreitol (DTT)-induced insulin B aggregation started to decrease after 3 weeks and decreased significantly after 5 weeks. Consistent results were observed in lens morphology, and lens opacity slightly developed after 3 weeks and became obvious after 5 weeks. HPLC analysis for chaperone function showed that the formation of high molecular weight aggregates (HMWA) of alpha-/gamma-crystallins decreases with the increase of galactose-feeding time, revealing that chaperone-like activity is concomitant with the formation of HMWA. Circular dichroism results showed the reduction of beta-sheet structure and loss of microenvironment of aromatic-type amino acids for opaque lenses, indicating alpha-crystallin's secondary and tertiary structure changed with the development of the lens opacity. ANS binding site estimated by Klotz equation showed it is 1.5 times higher at room temperature and is 2.4 times higher at 58 degrees C for age-matched normal alpha-crystallin than for 5-week galactose-fed lens alpha-crystallin, indicating opaque lens alpha-crystallin loses the ability to assemble into an appropriately placed hydrophobic regions. The overall results accordingly indicated that galactose-induced cataractous alpha-crystallin has disordered structure, leading to the loss of its chaperone-like activity.

Anilino Naphthalenesulfonates↗
PubMed1994

Low efficiency of [14C]galactose incorporation by galactosemic skin fibroblasts: relationship with neurological sequelae.

The incorporation of radioactivity from [1-14C]-galactose into TCA-precipitable material was determined in skin fibroblasts derived from 11 galactosemic patients deficient in galactose 1-phosphate uridyl transferase (GALT-). "R" ratios (designated the R phenotype) were defined as the ratio between [14C]galactose incorporation and [3H]leucine incorporation. Results were expressed as a percentage of the controls. In the GALT-strains this ratio varied from strain to strain, presumably depending on the efficiency of the secondary route via the UDP-galactose pyrophosphorylase pathway. In 10 GALT-patients without late serious clinical manifestations, the R phenotype varied from 37 to 57% of the control value. In the 11th patient, the R phenotype was only 20% of the control. Thus, we obtained a significantly lower R phenotype in one patient who was distinguished from the others by having very severe delayed neurological complications, although compliance to galactose-free diet was good. We suggest that, in this patient, the development of the UDP-galactose pyrophosphorylase pathway was not sufficient to ensure the availability of enough galactose for the necessary synthesis of glycoproteins and glycolipids. Thus the R phenotype may be an indicator of the risk of late neurological complications. The determination of the R phenotype of GALT-patients may therefore be valuable. However, further investigations of galactosemic patients with neurological complications are required to confirm this relationship.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1995

Effect of glucose and galactose loading in normal subjects on red and white blood cell uridine diphosphate sugars.

In order to test the assumption that red blood cell (RBC) uridine diphosphate galactose content is regulated in part by dietary galactose and to help comprehend factors influencing RBC and white blood cell (WBC) uridine diphosphate hexose concentrations in vivo, oral loading studies were performed with 50 g of galactose or 75 g of glucose in normal adults. While elevations of blood glucose did not influence RBC or WBC UDPhexose levels, increased blood galactose concentrations caused transient increases in both RBC and WBC UDPgalactose. In both RBC and WBC, the UDPgalactose-4-epimerase was rate limiting. In comparison to RBC, WBC had larger changes in UDPgalactose levels, synthesized additional UDPglucose through the action of UDPglucose pyrophosphorylase and began to restore the equilibrium ratio between UDPglucose and UDPgalactose concentrations while the plasma galactose level was still increasing. Thus, galactose ingestion alters the steady-state levels of UDPhexoses in circulating cells. The modulation of UDPglucose and UDPgalactose concentrations, occurring after the presentation of galactose to cells, as a result of the combined actions of GALT and UDPgalactose-4-epimerase, may be important in determining rates of synthesis of complex glycoconjugates.

Administration, Oral↗
PubMed1993

A simple technique to determine glutathione (GSH) levels and synthesis in ocular tissues as GSH-bimane adduct: application to normal and galactosemic guinea-pigs.

A fluorimetric technique previously described for other tissues has been applied to determine levels of glutathione and its synthetic rates in ocular tissues of Hartley guinea-pigs. Monochlorobimane forms a stable, fluorescent adduct with glutathione in a reaction catalyzed by glutathione-S-transferase. The fluorescent signal recorded over time is directly proportional to the synthetic rate of glutathione. Lens, cornea and retina were homogenized and cytosolic fractions dialyzed overnight to deplete endogeneous glutathione. Glutathione synthetic rates were determined from a mixture of glutathione precursors and co-factors, viz. cysteine+dithiothreitol, glutamate+glycine, ATP and Mg++ in the presence of monochlorobimane. The mixture was supplemented with glutathione-S-transferase to catalyze the formation of the fluorescent adduct. Glutathione synthetic rates were determined in the absence and presence of buthionine sulfoximine, an inhibitor of gamma-glutamyl cysteine synthetase. The difference in fluorescence change over time in the presence and absence of buthionine sulfoximine was used to estimate glutathione synthesis. Basal levels of glutathione in pre-dialyzed cytosolic fractions of the lens, cornea, and retina were 21.8 +/- 2.2, 36.5 +/- 4.1 and 38.6 +/- 2.8 nmol mg-1 protein, respectively. The maximal glutathione synthetic rates in these tissues were 0.52 +/- 0.04, 2.25 +/- 0.67 and 3.35 +/- 0.65 nmol min-1 mg-1 protein, respectively. When gamma-glutamyl cysteine is used as a precursor instead of cysteine, the glutathione synthetase activities from lenses and retinas were 0.19 +/- 0.08 and 1.54 +/- 0.76 nmol-1 min mg-1 protein.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Animals↗
PubMed1973

Genetic screening.

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Amino Acid Metabolism, Inborn Errors↗
PubMed1983

Biochemical modulation of blood-brain barrier permeability.

Hydrophilic substrates necessary for brain function cross the capillary by facilitated diffusion. The facilitation has many features in common with enzyme-catalyzed reactions and is probably subserved by protein entities in the endothelial wall. The proteins act as receptors, recognizing substrate molecules, and as translocators, giving the molecules access to an aqueous path through the endothelium. These receptor-translocators can be saturated, and the transport is subject to competitive inhibition by substrate analogs. Thus, amino acids inhibit the transport of each other, and galactose can inhibit glucose transport in suckling rats. The proteins can be induced, as in the case of ketone transport in starvation, and repressed, as in the case of glucose transport in hyperglycemia. In rats with hyperglycemia for three weeks, the maximum glucose transport capacity of the blood-brain barrier decreased from 400 to 290 mumol/hg/min. An important result of the description is the understanding that rigid distinctions between the function of receptors, translocators, and enzymes is impossible. Understanding of the biochemical properties of facilitated diffusion may help explain a variety of symptoms in many 'inborn errors of metabolism'. This understanding has followed greater, recent insights into the general properties of the blood-brain barrier (45,46,47).

Adaptation, Physiological↗
PubMed1992

Transient elevation of aldose reductase mRNA in lens of rats developing galactose cataracts.

Aldose reductase (AR), a major enzyme in the polyol pathway, is thought to be responsible for accumulation of polyols in lenses exposed to high doses of galactose or glucose, and it may be linked to some of the complications found in diabetes. In this report we examined the level of expression of AR mRNA in lens epithelia undergoing development of galactose cataracts in vivo. The AR mRNA was quantitated by Northern blot hybridization with a [35S]-RNA transcript from a previously described AR cDNA clone. This was done on normal lens epithelia and on epithelia from lens of rats fed a diet of Purina Chow containing 50% galactose for periods of from 6 hr to 20 days. We found AR mRNA to elevate to about 5-fold the control levels by 12-24 hr on galactose, then decrease to the control levels by day 4. The increase in AR mRNA appears to be transitory. The high abundance in AR mRNA by 24 hr on galactose was confirmed by in situ hybridization. At later periods, from 8 to 20 days on galactose, a slow increase in AR mRNA took effect, as we have previously reported. Changes in the levels of galactose and dulcitol between 0 and 96 hr were also quantitated by gas chromatography, showing that there was a significant increase in both galactose and dulcitol occurring throughout the experimental period.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Aldehyde Reductase↗
PubMed1992

Expression of c-myc protooncogene in rat lens cells during development, maturation and reversal of galactose cataracts.

It is well established that normal patterns of epithelial cell proliferation and metabolism, and of fiber cell differentiation and maturation are essential for the maintenance of transparency in the ocular lens. Several factors, including exposure to high levels of sugars, have been known to result in the compromise of lens transparency. For example, initiation of lens cell damage by galactose induces lens epithelial cells to proliferate. Elevated levels of c-myc mRNA have usually been correlated with rapid cell growth and increased entry of cells into the S phase. Therefore, changes in c-myc mRNA levels may provide an early indication of the stimulation of lens epithelial cells to proliferate and differentiate, which has been postulated to be an early and important event in response to lens cell injury by galactose. By Northern blot hybridization analysis we quantitated c-myc mRNA levels in the lens capsule epithelia of rats (1) exposed to galactose, and (2) undergoing a partial recovery from the galactose-induced cell damage. At the onset of lens cell damage, we find c-myc mRNA to elevate to 6-fold by 24 hr, and by 48 hr decreases to about 3-fold the normal levels. During recovery, c-myc mRNA continues to be expressed at high levels approaching a 10-fold increase by day 12, then decreasing to levels of about 8-fold the control by day 30. The 24 h transitory elevation in c-myc mRNA in lens epithelial cells is in accord with our previous observations on the 24 h increase in MP26, gamma crystallin and aldose reductase mRNAs following a high influx of galactose. Therefore, the elevation in c-myc mRNA as well suggest that galactose appears to cause lens cells to undergo an early transitory period of gene induction following the exposure of lens cells to galactose.

Animals↗